Article Contents:
Decisiveness as Leadership Behaviour:
As we explore leadership behaviors needed in a professional environment, one important behavior expected from the leader is decisiveness.
Have you ever caught yourself stuck between choices, waiting for the perfect answer and nothing moves?
What is Decisiveness?
Decisiveness is not about being right every time. It’s about being clear, taking responsibility, and moving forward.
It’s making timely, well-considered decisions even in uncertainty.
It’s not about speed alone. It’s about clarity.
Decisive leaders often say, “I have understood enough. Let’s move.” And they do.
I remember one of my client CEOs who missed a valuable business opportunity. He kept postponing a pricing decision because he was waiting for precise cost confirmation from a vendor. The customer had moved on by the time he worked out the numbers. He missed the opportunity not due to a lack of capability but because he hesitated to make reasonable assumptions and act despite his vast experience.
Why is Decisiveness critical for leaders?
- Because clarity creates confidence.
People seek confidence more than certainty in their leaders. You may not always get it right, but people trust you when you make decisions with intention and integrity.
- In leadership, this indecisiveness has a cost: time, team morale, and business momentum.
Being decisive, especially when information is incomplete, is not always easy. Every leader experiences this dilemma in the professional setting.
Let us explore this in-depth.
- Why we hesitate – The real reasons behind inaction
- Data vs. intuition – When to analyze and when to trust your gut
- Impulsive decisions – Why they happen and how to avoid them
- Decision fatigue – How to avoid burnout from too many decisions
- Recovering from wrong decisions – Without losing trust
- Decisiveness vs. delegation – Knowing when to decide and when to empower others
Now, take a moment to reflect:
Is there a decision you have been delaying?
What might happen if you just chose to move on it, with clarity and ownership?
why we are hesitant to make decisions?
Now let us understand why we are hesitant, even when we know we need to do something.
From my own experiences and working closely with professionals and business leaders, I have realized that hesitation is rarely due to a lack of data or the complexity of the problem.
It is due to what is happening within us.
It’s often rooted in emotional discomfort, fear, or internal conflict.
Given below are five common reasons behind hesitation or indecisiveness, even when we seem to have enough information:
1. Fear of being wrong
This is one of the most common reasons.
We fear the consequences of making a wrong call. What if it fails? What will others say? Will it hurt my credibility?
This fear often pushes us to seek more evidence, seek more validation, or delay.
However, leadership isn’t built on certainty but on choices made with courage, clarity, and accountability.
2. The need for perfection
Some leaders keep waiting for perfect data, timing, and alignment.
And in chasing that perfection, they lose momentum.
In most business situations, 80% clarity is enough to move forward. The rest unfolds through execution only.
3. Over-analysis and too many inputs
Yes, analysis matters. But when we go too far—collecting excessive data, inviting too many opinions—we slip into paralysis by analysis. (I remember one successful CEO could not decide quickly the colour for his website, as he kept asking for his colleague’s opinion and got confused with many inputs and analysis… he later mentioned it on LinkedIn)
Clarity doesn’t always come from more thinking. It often comes from taking action.
4. Lack of confidence in one’s judgment
Even experienced professionals sometimes hesitate because they don’t fully trust their decision-making.
They keep checking with others, waiting for someone else to validate their thinking.
However, leadership is not about having all the answers. It’s about trusting your process and taking ownership of your decisions.
5. Avoiding emotional discomfort
Some decisions feel heavy, not because they’re complex, but because they involve discomfort.
Letting someone go, changing a past decision, or refusing a client can all create emotional resistance.
And so, we delay, not for strategic reasons, but to avoid discomfort.
But what we avoid today often becomes a more significant issue tomorrow.
How can you overcome the habit of hesitation or indecisiveness?
You don’t overcome hesitation by knowing more. You overcome it by building the habit of acting with clarity, not just certainty.
Some approaches will help.
1. Acknowledging what is holding back
Ask yourself: What’s holding me back? Is it fear, discomfort, overthinking, or perfection?
Getting awareness and naming it will reduce its grip. Awareness is key.
2. Define decision boundaries
What’s the minimum information you need to move forward? You can not wait for perfect information and timing. Set a boundary between the quantity of information and the time to act.
3. Take a small step forward
Don’t wait for complete clarity. Take a low-risk action in the direction of your decision.
Action builds confidence. You get more perspective when things are progressing than at the status quo.
Reflect :
Which of these five patterns shows up in your decisions? Just be aware of that and take small actions to move forward.
Why do we make impulsive decisions?
But on the other end of the indecisiveness, some leaders tend to make impulsive decisions.
It feels fast and confident, but often comes with hidden consequences.
Most of us have done it.
For example:
• Responding instantly to an email or WhatsApp message, only to regret it later.
• Commit to a timeline for your boss or client without calculating the work involved.
• Agreeing to a meeting before even checking your schedule.
• Making a business call out of pressure or emotion, only to realise it was wrong.
These actions may look logical but come from a more profound sense of emotional urgency.
Either to prove, to please, or to escape from discomfort.
An impulsive decision does not come from clarity, but from reactiveness.
In leadership, even one impulsive decision can affect many people and the business.
Why do we make impulsive decisions?
Because we forget to pause.
We let emotions, excitement, anger, and anxiety take over.
We confuse speed with Decisiveness.
Sometimes, we repeat old patterns that once helped us move faster, but no longer serve us.
I remember a senior colleague who rose quickly in his early years because of his swift decision-making style. However, the same strength became a barrier when he moved into a senior role. Decisions now required foresight, collaboration, and the ability to listen across functions. He could not change his impulsive decision-making nature to the position that demanded it. What helped him grow earlier was now holding him back.
Why does this matter more at higher levels?
Because at senior levels, decisions not only produce results, but they also shape the culture.
People watch what you say yes to, ignore, and commit to without consultation or thinking.
When you act without thinking, the cost is not just personal; it becomes collective in a workplace.
But avoiding impulsive decisions doesn’t mean delaying every decision. It means making conscious choices.
It means knowing when to pause and how to pause.
Reflect on your decision-making style:
What triggers your impulsive decisions?
Is it pressure? The desire to be seen as quick? The discomfort?
Let us discuss practical ways to stay decisive, without being impulsive.
As leaders, we are expected to be responsive. But not every situation immediately demands a reaction, and some decisions can take time.
Given below are five practical ways to stay grounded and avoid impulsive decisions.
Take a Pause before responding.
That moment between a request and your response is decisive.
For example, your client sends an email pushing for a faster delivery timeline. You feel the pressure and are about to agree, but instead, you pause. You’ll need to check with your team first, reassess capacity, and then reply. The client respects your clarity, and your team trusts your leadership.
Not every message needs an instant reply. That pause is where clarity comes in.
Use the “Sleep over it” rule.
When emotions are high, whether good or bad, sleep on it.
Let me share a real experience. I witnessed a situation where one of my managers received an email from a sales colleague that used the word “ridiculous.” The sender meant it in a lighter tone, but the manager interpreted it as a serious insult and immediately replied harshly. It escalated into a bitter exchange that could have been avoided.
If he had paused, reread the message the next day, and reflected calmly, he might have perceived the intent differently or clarified it first. That one night could have changed the entire outcome.
Clarity often arrives after emotions fade.
Ask yourself before you decide.
Take a moment to check in with yourself before committing.
For example, someone suggests cutting an “advance payment” in a business review meeting to reduce costs. You feel tempted to agree quickly. But before you do, you ask yourself:
Am I reacting to pressure or thinking it through?
Who will be affected if this decision goes wrong?
Will I feel the same about this tomorrow?
These small questions help you see the whole picture. They turn reactions into thoughtful responses.
Talk to Someone you trust
Some decisions don’t need to be made alone.
For example, you may be unsure about replacing an underperforming team lead. Instead of acting in isolation, you may speak to a peer or mentor. Their questions may help you see things you may have missed; maybe there’s still a chance to support and turn things around.
It’s not about getting advice. It’s about gaining perspective.
Reflect on past decisions.
Every impulsive choice leaves a learning.
For example, in the past, you once committed to an aggressive production target without checking with procurement. It created chaos on the floor. That experience becomes your personal checkpoint before future commitments.
Patterns or experiences, when reflected on, become powerful teachers.
To sum up,
Being decisive doesn’t mean acting fast; it means acting right. Impulsive decisions may not always be correct.
Reflect on yourself: Are you reacting or responding with clarity?
Data vs. Intuition–When to analyze & When to trust your Gut?
The next dimension in decision-making is knowing when to rely on data and gut feeling.
Should I rely on data, or trust my Gut?
We are taught to ‘Trust the data,’ and rightly so, data brings clarity and structure to thinking. But the truth is that not every decision can be made only from data or insights from a spreadsheet.
Sometimes, we need to trust our intuition, internal voice shaped by years of experience and observation.
The real leadership skill lies in knowing when to lean on data and when to follow instinct.
When will the data-based decision guide you rightly?
Data is non-negotiable in operational areas like pricing, inventory, and cost control. It reveals what’s happening.
For example, in one client company, the CEO believed a newly launched product was performing well. But when they reviewed the actual stock and sales data, it showed that the product wasn’t selling. His confidence came from early excitement, but the facts didn’t back it up. The data helped him to correct the course.
Hence, the data is valid when
- The issue is measurable or repeatable.
- There is a financial or operational risk involved.
- You need objective comparisons.
When will an intuition-based decision guide you rightly?
Data tells you what, but not always why. That’s where intuition plays a role, especially in people’s decisions and assessing softer dynamics in the workplace.
For example, you may come across two candidates with similar resumes and skillsets during interviews. Data won’t tell you who truly fits the role or culture. That decision often comes from gut feel and experience.
Trust your intuition when
- You are dealing with people or emotions.
- Data is unclear, conflicting, or incomplete.
- Judgment is required beyond logic.
Which one is right?
The answer is balancing both. Effective leaders start with the data and end with sense.
Data gives us clarity and intuition gives us context.
So, before your next decision, ask: “What do the numbers say?”
And just as importantly, “What is my experience telling me?”
Balancing data and intuition is real wisdom. It comes out of awareness and experience only.
Managing decision fatigue
There is one more aspect that affects decision-making and often goes unnoticed: Decision fatigue.
Decision fatigue:
It is a state when your mind feels overloaded with choices. Even simple things feel difficult. You delay decisions, avoid them or go with the quickest answer.
I have seen this happen to many professionals, especially those in leadership roles.
The process goes like this: You start the day with clarity and enthusiasm. But by the time you have handled emails, calls, meetings and WhatsApp messages, your ability to think is already exhausted. And yet, essential decisions are still waiting for you.
Some more moments that you might relate to.
You open your email inbox and spend an hour replying and making updates. Mentally, you feel like you have done a lot. But when you finally sit down to take that strategic or important decision, your mind feels heavy.
You attend four or five meetings back to back and by the sixth meeting, your energy is low. Even if a phone call comes in, you move on with it, as you feel internally exhausted from the meetings.
You go home and your spouse asks, What shall we do for dinner? You say, “Anything is ok”, not because you do not care, but because you have run out of energy to decide.
That is decision fatigue.
It’s not a lack of skill. It is mental exhaustion from making too many choices without enough breaks.
Managing decision fatigue:
You can overcome fatigue only through awareness and the following actions.
Pay attention when your mind feels tired. For example, if you are reading the same paragraph three times or getting irritated by small things, it is a signal: time to slow down.
- Sometimes, doing fewer things at once is all you need instead of multitasking in the
- Having a few fixed routines for small decisions can free up your mind for what truly matters.
- When your team can handle something, let them. You do not have to jump into every issue.
- Not every message needs an instant reply. It is okay to delay
Decisiveness is not about making more decisions. It is about making them with clarity.
Just reflect on where your decision energy is going?
What might change if you protected it from being drained?
Recovering from wrong decisions
One more dimension leaders must face in decision-making is, “How do we recover from a wrong decision without losing trust?”
Even the best leaders make wrong calls. It is part of the journey. However, what truly defines leadership is not always being right but handling wrong decisions.
In business, not every decision will work out as expected. Some decisions, such as hiring choice, a new product, or a vendor partnership, misfire. The mistake itself does not break trust; how the leader responds matters.
Let me share a real example from my own experience.
In one of my client organizations, the CEO impulsively hired a senior leader without doing much due diligence. The person came through a referral, and the decision was made quickly. However, within a short period, it became clear that the fit was wrong for the role. The person left the organisation in a few months.
What stood out was how the CEO responded. He openly admitted that the selection process was rushed and acknowledged the gaps. The next time, he involved internal mentors and senior leaders in evaluating candidates. The new hire was a far better fit, and the team’s respect for the CEO grew.
That is the key to leadership when a decision goes wrong: own the decision, learn from it, and improve the next one.
We have seen this at large companies as well.
Take the case of the Tata Nano. The intent was bold: an affordable car for the masses. But the market saw it as “cheap” rather than “valuable.” Later, Ratan Tata publicly acknowledged the misstep in positioning, even though the product was technically sound. He did not run from the feedback. He used it to reflect and guide future innovation. That honesty only strengthened public trust.
So, how does a leader recover without losing credibility?
Acknowledge the mistake without defensiveness.
Reflect and share the learnings.
Involve others in the recovery.
Keep moving forward with more awareness, not with more caution.
Leadership is not about being right all the time in every decision. It is about being responsible, honest, and transparent, especially when things are unplanned.
So when a decision backfires, ask yourself:
Am I reacting to protect my image, or responding to build trust?
Because often, how you recover can inspire more trust than the decision itself.
Decisiveness vs Delegation
Decisiveness vs. Delegation – Knowing when to decide and when to empower others to make decisions
As we continue exploring Decisiveness as a core leadership behaviour, we often associate it with taking bold, timely decisions. But there is another side to it: knowing when not to decide for yourself.
That is where delegation comes in.
Effective leaders are not only decisive. They also know when to step back and empower others to decide.
The real challenge lies in recognising the difference: when to act and when to enable others.
Let us look at both sides with real examples.
When must you decide?
There are moments when leadership clarity is essential and the team needs direction.
When the decision affects business direction, carries long-term risk or requires strategic alignment, it is when the leader should take a call on time.
For example, in one of my earlier organisations, we faced many field complaints after launching a new product. The technical and manufacturing teams worked hard to resolve the issues, but there was low confidence in their ability to fix them completely. The teams were busy chasing incremental improvements without a clear direction.
Having assessed the situation, the chairman boldly withdrew the product from the market. It was a tough decision, but the right one. In that moment, the team needed leadership clarity, not hope.
That timely decision by the leader saved the company from damage and freed up the resources.
When should you let others decide?
Daily decisions like hiring, operational issues or customer responses can and should be delegated.
For example, in one of my client companies, the CEO is personally involved in every junior hiring. This slowed decisions and disempowered the HR team. Once he stepped back and trusted the process, things moved faster, and his time was freed for other work.
Delegation is not a sign of weakness. It is a conscious act of building ownership and speed in the system.
In other situations where you can delegate others to decide
- Expertise – Who knows more about the issues?
If your team members have more profound knowledge, let them lead.
For example, the IT and operations team should drive the choice for ERP vendor evaluation rather than you dictating. You can be part of the selection process, and finally, they need to take a call as they know more than you.
• Ownership – Who will live with the outcome?
The person closest to the result should have a say.
For example, if the sales manager hires for their team, they should take the call, because they are accountable for results. - Urgency – Who can act quickly and well?
Empower those on the ground when speed matters.
For example, a shopfloor supervisor fixing a deviation within guidelines should not wait for senior sign-off.
Decisiveness is not about doing everything yourself. It is about knowing which decisions require your leadership and which you can delegate to others to decide.
So the next time a decision awaits you, ask yourself
Is this mine to decide, or should someone take a call?
Summary & Call to Action:
Let us summarise the key learnings.
Decisiveness is not about being right all the time. It is about being clear, taking responsibility and progressing despite incomplete information.
Many professionals struggle with hesitation, not because they lack knowledge, but because they fear being wrong, want perfect data or feel uncomfortable making a tough call.
We explored five common reasons why leaders hesitate:
- Fear of being wrong and damaging their credibility
- Chasing perfection and waiting for the “ideal” moment
- Over-analysis leading to confusion, not clarity
- Lack of self-trust, despite experience
- Avoiding discomfort in emotionally difficult decisions
- Recognise what is holding you back
- Define boundaries on how much data or time you need
- Take small steps forward as action creates clarity
- Reflect on your patterns and take ownership
At the other end of the spectrum is impulsive decision-making, which involves acting too quickly and being driven by emotion, urgency or pressure. We all do it sometimes: saying yes to a client too fast, reacting to a message emotionally or taking calls without full context.
We discussed simple ways to avoid impulsiveness:
- Pause before responding
- “Sleep on it” when emotions are high
- Ask yourself key questions before committing
- Talk to a trusted peer for perspective
- Learn from past missteps
Then we discussed whether I should rely on data or intuition.
Data gives us clarity, but intuition gives us context. Data works best for measurable or operational issues. Intuition matters when dealing with people, emotions, or when data is unclear.
Effective leaders balance both starting with numbers and finishing with wisdom.
We also touched on something subtle yet powerful: decision fatigue. As the day progresses and choices pile up, we start avoiding decisions, settling for the easiest. It is not incompetence. It is mental exhaustion. Recognising when you are tired, simplifying small decisions and letting others own routine issues help preserve your decision-making energy.
Finally, we looked at the fine line between Decisiveness and Delegation. Being decisive does not mean deciding everything. It means knowing which decisions are yours and which ones your team should own. Leadership is not about control but enabling others to act clearly and confidently.
Simple questions to reflect on: Are you making decisions from clarity or reacting out of habit or pressure? The goal is not to be a perfect decision-maker, but a conscious one.
